Homogenizing machine



March 26, 1946.- E. D. MacEWlNG HOMOGENIZING MACHINE Filed June' 4, 19452 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ifiuenfor 5 Eu eneDMacEwmg Nil Patented Mar. 26, 1946HoMdGiiNizING moms Eugene I).

master. Grand 'ifaver tit-tin slg'iidf to Dalie Eiig ine' Cot; Haven;Midi; a corporation of Michigan The present inventionis directed to thepro: ductionof a novel, readily and easily assembled and disassembledhomogenizing machine, and a novel valve or element through which milkfor example is forced under pressure to break up the fat globulestherein and cause the fat to remain in suspensionso that it will notseparate and rise because of its lower specific gravity and equallyuseful for emulsifying other fatty material, and materials more or lessheterogeneous.

The machine of novel character which I; have perfected with that part ofmachine comingv in contact with the material is very easily and readilymaintained in sanitary condition. being; quickly and easilydisassembled-for cleaning and thereafter reassembled for the succeedingrun of the material to be homogenized; it being an accpt ed practicethat after each run of a hcmogeniz; ing machine the parts thereof mustbe thoroughly cleaned for sanitation purposes. V 7

Further with my machine,- very high pressures ranging up to fivethousand pounds per square inch or higher as necessary may be obtainedorder to properly efiect the li'o mogenization. git the same time anovel construction is provided for the installation and removal of thehomogenizing element in thefiow line of the material which is being.processed, such removaloccurring at the end ofa run with replacement ofa newelement or disc or sanitary cleaning thereof prior to the beginningof a succeeding run of the material. v v

It is among the objects and purposes r the present invention to produceamachine having the desirable functions stated aswellasmany otherswhichwill hereinafter appear.

A furtherobject of theinvent'on isto produce a novel andefiectivehoinogenizer made of; pel lets of solid material of; uniformsize whichin preferred form are bonded together thereby obtaining amultitude of tortuous passages or slI'bstantially uniform sizethroughthe homogenizer element for the passage of thematrial there: throughwitha uniform porosity of the elementfollowing by reason of the uniformpellet size of the materials used. A; single element having two or moretransversely located; zpnes eachzcrie of which will be made up ofpellets or uniform size preferably bonded together, but with-the sizesof the pellet varyingin the zones; or separated elements, each differingfrom; the other in the; sizes ofthe pellets may be used. With such novelhomogeniz'er element used, one or more oi them providing alarge numberof tortuous atns gr' uniform orifices presenting a multitude ofimpinging uniform surfaoesptovthe: flow of mate rial throug'lrthe.elementand with a large, number of their velocity stream colliding witheach other in'passirig through the element, there is obtainedexceptionally satisfactory and effective homogenization: Other resultsand functions will appear upon an: understanding-of vthe invention hadfrom the ioilowing description, taken; in connection vwith: theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig.1 is; a: partial elevation-and vertical section through thehomogenizing machine ofmy invention:

Fig; 2is a plan view ofthe head-of the homogenizer a w V v i Fig-t 3 isa fragmentary, vertica1 section substantially on the plane kof line 3 3;of Fig. 1, lookingin the directionqindicated by the arrows.

Hg; 4 is a' fragmentary horizontalsection through the upper head of themachine at the delivery end: i

l 5 is a plan view of the circular head disks disposed underneath theupper head of the machine; one being located-at the upper end of eachiin ian H I F i-g-t 6 is a perspective view of t a homogenizin disk orelement; I r I like reference characters referto like parts in the;difierent figures of ,the drawings,

In the structure disclosed (Fig.1), a suitable support I is providedwithin which a cylindrical container 2 is vertically disposed at itsupper end having an annular flange bearing upon the'upper side of theuppor I and within which two cylinder structures 4, preferablyhydraulically operated-y are disposedeach for the purpose of operatingasolidpisuon 3; in a vertical direction. The piston passes thrdugh andis guided by a surrounding exteriorly thre'aded ring 5 secured in placeshown in I. With the machine of; my invention-theire" will betwo'o'fithe solid pistons 3-, fi'ic ufitd ir'i the containers 2 and inDracme one or pistons a will be movingupwardly with" simultaneousownwarmovement of the other 101 the purpose of reducing or eliminatifigpiilsatioiis of new of th liquid which is being processed. It is tounderstood that'the manner, reci rocating the pistons 3 is not anessential part of the present invention and the detai'l' thereof J isnot shown or" described.

At the urii 'er' side or top of the upport) a heavy? casting: is" ldatdnavifigjapase s and u wafzuy ends: 1 spaced from e c otheramusement-their upper fidsby a horizontal tOp nieiiifir I. Said-castingis located over the 1515- i ber [9 has two vertical openings theretfhrough V a packing ring 20 is located. A valv ton containing member 2resting upon the upper flanges thereof and is bolted in place by bolts9. Through the upper portion 8 two vertical cylinders l extenddownwardly, at their upper ends enlarged as indicated at H,toprovide'under shoulder portions to rest upon said top 8. Each cylinderatits upper end is interiorly enlarged in bore as indicatedatIZ. Thelower end of each cylinder is likewise interiorly boredlahd enlarged toreceive a ring I3 which at its lower edge portion is substantiallytriangular in cross section.

The pistons 3 pass through their associated rings I3 into an associatedcylinder IUQ Atthe lowerside of each ring 3 packing materials Illsubstantially V-shape in cross section arelocated being .disposedbetween the rings I3 and sleeves I outwardly flanged between their endsand exteriorly screw threaded at their lowe r'portions to thread intointeriorly threaded collars I6v (Fig;-

3)' which extend downwardly pinto openings through the base 6. Thecollars IG- are'enlarged at their upper ends to provide annularshoulders restingupon' the upper side "of "-th e'base li, and betweenthe upper-ends of the collars l6 and the lower :sides of theflangesprojecting fiom.the sleeves I 5, suitable spacing disks l l arelocated,

a it being apparentthat by adjusting-'any' sleeve I 5 in its associatedcollar'lI 6" the -packings at v I may be' subjected' to adesiredpressure.

A head I8 is located over the upper ends of the cylinders I0; and iscast -as asingle' casting,-at'its under side being suitablyreces's'ed toreceive the upper portions of cylindrical valve carrying-niember IS, thelower portions of which enter into the upper ends Of the cylinder ID,with packing rings 20, two of themybetween'the upperfsideof each memberI 9 and thelower side-of the head I I8 and a flat packing ring 2|between each/mem ber I 9 and -cylinder" Inf With l which -associ'ated.From each member I9 a short pin-"22 extends'laterally for properlocation with reference to a notch receiving said pin as shownind'ott'ed linesin Fig. 3; 1: 1 1

Each of the cylindricalvalve carryingspaced from each other arouna eachor posed in position to} close' the upper of said openings'fand a secondvaive r the lower end of the other-of-sai'd openings? The first'valve'23 has a valve stern eigte'nding i'n'toits' associated 'openi ngto guide 'fthe' valve'and the second valve 24 has; a stei'nZSieXte'ndihg throi i gh sage 28a which reach'es fromwhe other end of ithe head toward'but' Short "of the1-opposite end (Fig. 2); :Bothpassages28*and 28dattheir outeri end are provided, the first fwith'an'inlet mem ber 29 having flanges 36 'for detachable connec-- tion to thehead andthe second with'a similar outlet member 29;; with-like flanges30fior detachable connection to the opposite e'ndfoifjthe;

head. There i an inlet; pass I age'longitudinally through'thememberJZSwhich" ti wimthe o te ipes'sl I111 -71 7 let member 29dhas'anoutlet"passagewhere fthrough between the inner end of which andthe outer end of the passage 28a the homogenizing element 3| of myinvention is held in a cylindrical recess provided therefor (Fig. 1).Bolts 32 com 5 nect the head I8 to the top 8 by use of nuts, the headbeing readily removable on removal of the nuts;

1 .Thepassage-at 28 leads'to the recess at 21' in which thes'prings'zfiassociated with valv'es24 are 19 located. The passage 28a connects therecess 21 ;to which the valves 23 partly extend. The inlet member 29having suitable connection with the which i to-b e homogenized, on thedownstroke :rof thesolidpiston} the material drawn through being pulleddown against the lifting force of its associated spring 26 therebyfilling such cylinder I0 above piston 3. On the succeeding upstroke ofthe piston valve 2fi is forced tightly into closed position-and valve 23lifted; the 'material passing through passage 28 and-through thehomogenizer disk member 3l and outward through the outlet 29;- ;Thedescriptioirapplies to both pistons '3- which are used,-o'n'ef'of whichon a downst'roke draws material into its associated cylinder, whilesimultaneously the otherypiston 3 is'on its up'-- stroke forcing thematerial out of the cylinder I0 with which associated, thusproviding'a'continuuniformpressure.

' The homogenizing element 3| is 'niade of pellets of variousuniformsizes preferably bonded together to provide a'disk' whichretains' itsshape but: is porou'sp gthat' is, ith'as a;plurality'of-uniformjtortuous'passages through it. In practicethediskfis made preferably from pellets of small 1 size, thesizelbeinguniform byscree'ningout' all A above and below the selected size andthen-bonded 40 together by a suitabl'e means,-as anfexample the pelletsmay be sna per and asmall proportion of tin may-be usedfasthe bondingmaterial, bondf ed underhejad andpre'ssurei i a i Fordifferentjconditions, for example, with" a different viscosity of theliquid? material being homogenized; the -siz {of-thepellets "in thedisk.

meyI-b v eq 411 .19 d e id e w that copper pellets-bonded togethrby tinrialsalone, as nuinerous- -other small pellets'of other-materials; suchas ceramic pellets withsuit disk controlled-by the -'uiiiforni pelletsize is productive of uniiorrnityfof ;result ;wit h; products of thesame -viscosity under the same pressures.

As previously mentionedsiinilar rates 5 of flow 7 for products ofdifierent viscos ities "maybe {Inaintained by useof-disks havingdiiferentjsizesof a pellets.- 'Itis also possible and"it dsfcontemplatedin my invention tose;more=than one disl'g between the pressure-andoutletside's time machine, .said disks being -'plac e' d end to end andgenizationi The pellets of a" diskfwhile uniform in size;willvaryinfsiZe fromthosefof the fother disks. 1 With this structure ofnomosemz nj element having substantially unijiorin tortuous passages'--therethrough;there is produced a constant internalfresistancjeto the passage of: liquids of the same'fviscosity-and; the-rate' offlow'of the liquid A through the dislg will varyfdirectly iii proportiontothepre'ssure, per nittin I noiitputvQIuineadmsme iwsmnr a duc'ehomogenization.

sourc'eof the liquid, such as milk for example,;

th passage 28.and into a cylinder I0, valve 24 ous fiow of the='materialundera substantially not limit the" inve'ntiontotheuse or such m'at- Vable bonding material are contemplated. In-prac tice with such'disk theuniform porosity of the when thu' used there 'isjin'efiecta multiplehomo- It is apparent that the mechanism described is one which isquickly and easily disassembled and reassembled. For example by removingthe nuts from the bolts 32, the head I8 may be lifted after which thevalve carrying members I 9 may be removed and then the cylinders I ii,the rings [3 and packings M, the sleeves l and collars I6. The inletmember 29 and outlet member 2&0. are readily removed by removing thescrews securing them to the ends of the head 18. Each of the parts thenmay be cleaned or sterilized to place the machine in a completelysanitary condition. Such care "in maintaining homogenizing machines insanitary condition is a requirement of the law in many localities andwith the present machine it is very quickly and effectivelyaccomplished. It is also apparent that the parts may easily bereassembled. One feature of utility in conjunction with the reassemblyis the vertical positioning of the piston and cylinders and the valvecarrying members, so that there is small chance of parts being droppedor misplaced, the parts in succession being assembled from above oneover the other, where they are retained by gravity. Such facicity ofdisassembly and reassembly greatly adds to the practical value of themachine.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be consideredcomprehensive of all forms of construction, or variations thereof fromthe specific disclosure made, which are comprehended by the claims. Theinvention has proven particularly practical and useful in extensivetests and trail under the conditions at which the homogenizing of milkmust take place. Satisfactory homogenization occurs under much lowerpressure than has been heretofore necessary. It is 'to be furtherunderstood that with the present invention homogenizing of othermaterials which normally separated upon standing may be performed as inthe production of many and various kinds of emulsions; and while thedevice was primarily devised for the homogenizing of milk, other usesare contemplated and the invention is not to be restricted in use to anysingle place or type of utility.

I claim:

1. In a structure as described, two vertically positioned cylinders, avertical piston mounted in each and extending above said cylinders, asupport having a base, spaced apart ends and a connecting. top betweensaid ends located over said cylinders, said base and top having openingsalined with the piston and a guide collar for each piston extending intothe base openings from above said base, other cylinders extendingthrough the openings into the lower ends of which said pistons pass,packing means between the lower ends of said other cylinders and saidpistons, valve carrying members located one at the upper end of each ofsaid other cylinders, each having an inlet and outlet passage and valvesfor controlling entrance of liquid into a cylinder and its forcing outthereof on reciprocations of said pistons, and a head having inlet andoutlet passages detachably connected to said support and bearing againstsaid valve carrying members to clamp them in place, said head havinginlet and outlet passages extending into the.,head from opposite sidesthereof and spaced from each other, the inlet passage being associatedwith valve passages in said valve controlling intake carrying members tosaid cylinders and the outlet passage with those controlling the outflowof liquid from said second other cylinders.

2. Th elements in combination defined in claim 1, said outlet passageadjacent its outer end having transversely across it a homogenizing diskhaving tortuous passages therethrough of substantially'the same crosssectional area.

3. In a structure of the class described, a vertical reciprocablepiston, a cylinder therefor, said piston extending upwardly above thecylinder, a support located over the cylinder, having a base, spacedends and a horizontal top, a second cylinder extending freely throughsaid top into which the upper portion of the piston extends, a packingring in the lower end of said second mentioned cylinder through whichthe piston passes, a sleeve surrounding said piston below said packing,a collar into which said sleeve is inserted,said collar being freelyreceived in an opening in the bottom of said support through which thepiston passes, a valve carrying member located at the upper end of thepiston having two vertical passages therethrough, inlet and outletvalves associated respectively with said passages, and a head havinghorizontal inlet and outlet passages disposed over and against saidvalve carrying member, the inlet passage connecting with the passage inthe valve carrying member with which the inlet valve is associated, andthe outlet pas sage connecting with the passage through the valvecarrying member with which the outlet valve is associated, and means fordetachably clamping said head against the valve carrying member andclamp said valve carrying member against the cylinder to force saidcylinder against the upper side of the top of said support, whereby onremoving said head the valve carrying member, cylinder, packings, sleeveand collarmay be removed in succession.

4. In a structure of the class described, a support having a base and atop spaced from the base and carried thereby said top and said base eachhaving two spaced openings therethrough, a cylinder extending downwardlyfreely through each of said openings in the top of the support andterminating short of said base, a collar located at the lower end ofeach cylinder located by and extending partly into an associated openingin the base of the support, packing between the upper ends of saidcollars and the lower end portions of the cylinders, a piston extendingthrough each collar and reciprocable in each cylinder, inlet and outletvalves mounted at the upper end of said cylinder, a head located overboth cylinders and over the valves therein, said head having two spacedhorizontal passages, one from each end extending inwardly toward butshort of the other 6. In a construction as described, a support havingspaced apart sides with two series of alined openings therethrough twocylinders passing through the openings in the outer side and extendingtoward but short of the openings in the inner side of said support,pistons passing through the openings in the inner side of the supportand into said cylinders, packing means carried by said cylinders attheir ends adjacent the inner side of the support through which saidpistons pass, sleeves through which said pistons pass extending into theopenings in the inner side of the support, said cylinders and sleevesbeing freely removable, valve earryingmembers each having two passagestherethrough with which are associated inlet and outlet valves, saidvalve carrying members being located at the outer ends of saidcylinders, a head having two cored passagesjbetween its opposite sides,one extending from one, end of the head toward but short of the otherend and the other extending toward but short of the first mentioned endof the head, one of said passages being connected with the inletpassages in said valve carrying members, and means for bolting said headto said support against said valve carrying members to clamp said valvecarrying members against the outer end portions of said cylinders,whereby said head may be removed on unbolting the same from the supportthereby freeing the valve carrying members, cylinders, packing andcollars for ready removal.

'7. In a construction as described, a cylinder, a piston entered at oneend into said cylinder and reciprocable therein, said cylinder at theopposite end being interiorly enlarged, a disk shaped valve carryingmember having two transverse passages therethrough seated partially insaid enlargement of the cylinder bore, an inlet and an outlet valvemounted in said passages, a support through which the cylinder passes,said cylinder at its outer end being increased in exterior dimension soas to bear against the outerside of the support, and a head having inletand. outlet passages connected with the inlet and outlet valve passages'of' saiddiskvalve carrying member releasably connected to said supportand pressing against the valve carryin member, clamping it between thehead and the cylinder and pressing the cylin- V der at its exteriorenlarged end portion against the outer side of the support.

8. A pump for a homogenizing machine comprising a cylinder, areciprocable piston extending thereinto at one end, a support for thecylinder, a collar through which the piston passes detachably mounted onthe support, packing between said collar and cylinder at the end atwhich the piston'enters, a readily separable valve'carrying memberpartially inserted in'the opposite end of the cylinder, said valvecarrying member having two transverse passages therethrou h, inletEUGENE D. MAGEWING.

